Last Chance! £160k+ for the Connecticut Lighthouse With a Haunting Secret

This Connecticut lighthouse has an added extra

At almost 150 years old, Penfield Reef Lighthouse has been guiding ships safely into Black Rock Harbor in Bridgeport, Connecticut since the administration of Ulysses S. Grant. The little lighthouse, which sits just a mile off the Connecticut coast, is still active today, and is up for auction with The U.S. General Services Administration. With a current bid of $160,000, if you've fallen in love you'll need to hurry though as there's just one more day to place your bids. However, it hides a haunting secret…

Tragic end

Not only does the price include the island, the lighthouse, and even the foghorn, but it also throws a ghost into the bargain. According to local lore, former lighthouse keeper Frederick A. Jordan still haunts the waves around the lighthouse, where he met his death shortly before Christmas in 1916 while attempting to row ashore to spend the vacation with his family.

Ghostly helper

Ever since, lighthouse keepers have reported seeing Jordan’s ghost around the island, or have found the logbook mysteriously and repeatedly flipping to the date of his death. More mysteriously, reports have been made of at least two boats being led away from the reef to safety by a ghostly man. While it remains to be seen who will be willing to take on this haunted property, at least potential buyers can take comfort from the fact that the ghost seems friendly!

Reported sightings

The first reported sighting of Jordan’s ghost dates to 1920, when his successor wrote an article in the Bridgeport Sunday Post: “I was awakened — I was off duty — by a strange feeling that someone was in my room. Sitting up I distinctly saw a gray, phosphorescent figure emerging from the room formerly occupied by Fred Jordan. It hovered at the top of the stairs, and then disappeared in the darkness below.”

Fixer-upper potential

The lighthouse dates to 1874 and is definitely a fixer-upper, with extensive internal renovations required before it could be considered habitable. However, with 1,568 square feet of space, two-stories, and of course the 51-foot octagonal tower, the building offers plenty of potential, as well as ample space to share with any ghostly inhabitants!

READ MORE: Hauntingly good homes

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a ghost for a roommate, or live somewhere with a notorious (and ghoulish) reputation? Well now could be the perfect chance to find out. These haunted homes have just hit the market and they're packed full of paranormal activity, creepy interiors and things that go bump in the night​. Are you brave enough to take one of them on?

The Ensin Mansion, New York, USA: $444,444

Four bedrooms, two bathrooms…and nine ghosts? That’s right, this property’s spooky past takes front and center on it’s current listing, which touts the home as a true haunted house. The late 19 century home in Troy, New York has been in current owner Michele Bell’s family for six generations, her great-grandfather having made the initial purchase back in 1919. Today, the 3,092-square foot home could be yours for $444,444 if you're brave enough…

The Ensin Mansion, New York, USA: $444,444

The Enslin Mansion, as the home is known, dates to 1890, but the majority of its ghostly inhabitants have taken up residence since it was purchased by Bell’s ancestors. Indeed, five of the nine spirits who haunt the home are believed to be her deceased relatives. Slightly more sinisterly, a sixth is said to be the soul of a former tenant who was found dead in the basement, which Bell now keeps permanently locked after experiencing paranormal activity there.

The Ensin Mansion, New York, USA: $444,444

The identities of the remaining three ghosts remain a mystery, although Bell has her suspicions. The house was once a supper club in the early 1900s, and in 1931 it was visited by famous gangster John T. “Legs” Diamond, who was shot to death in his bed in Albany, New York not long after. Bell believes his shade may still be hanging around the home, perhaps still hankering after a really good meal he once enjoyed there...

The Ensin Mansion, New York, USA: $444,444

However, Bell believes the home offers plenty of potential beyond its ghostly inhabitants. The listing suggests that the house could easily be converted into a café, restaurant, or coffee roasters, and Bell herself has previously let out the master bedroom on Airbnb. For a plucky entrepreneur who doesn’t mind capitalizing on a bit of haunting history, the home could be a real business opportunity, Bell believes.

The Ensin Mansion, New York, USA: $444,444

Legally a two-family home, the property offers two units which could be let separately, or combined into a single-family house. Original details including hardwood floors, three ornamental fireplaces, and an expansive covered front porch offer what the listing describes as ‘old-world grandeur.’ In short, the home offers plenty of potential, if you can overlook the fact that it's overflowing with paranormal activity as well!

The Priestley House, Mississippi, USA: $999,999

This rather beautiful four-bedroom property in Canton, Mississippi, looks just like any other luxury home with its sweeping staircases and grand façade. But if you delve a little deeper, you'll discover a seriously spooky history....

The Priestley House, Mississippi, USA: $999,999

Ornate decorations in this living room certainly make this look like a typical home, and indeed it once was. Built by Dr James Priestley in 1852, as a family home, the property has since experienced some strange goings-on. In fact, since the doctor and his wife died in the early 1900s during an epidemic of yellow fever, it's become a decidedly haunting dwelling.

The Priestley House, Mississippi, USA: $999,999

The most recent owners, who have wonderfully eclectic taste as demonstrated in the bathroom, have reported paranormal activity occurring in the spooky doctor's house and insist they saw the ghost of Susan Priestley in the bedroom where she died. Others in the neighborhood are said to have seen her figure standing at the windows. 

The Priestley House, Mississippi, USA: $999,999

In spite of the grand entryway (pictured) and large rooms, the house has been tricky to enjoy. Owners of the Priestly House have witnessed a piano playing on its own and candles falling out of their holders. It's been said that Susan Priestley got so attached to the home after her husband died that she just didn't want to leave. We wonder how easy it is to live with her?

The Priestley House, Mississippi, USA: $999,999

The haunted house is currently up for sale for $999,999 with Keller Williams and comes with plenty of plus points for those brave enough to see past the home's history. Spanning 5,252 square feet, the spine-chilling residence comes complete with four bathrooms, an attractive library, a formal dining room, a music room, a parlor, an office, a sleeping porch and a swimming pool, all said to be in peak condition.

Derwydd Mansion, Wales, UK: $3.3 million

As it turns out, this spooky-looking Welsh manor house is every bit as haunted as it looks. Derwydd Mansion, as the property is known, dates to roughly 1485 and sits nestled in the Carmarthenshire hills, between Ammanford and Llandeilo. The Grade II-listed home boasts 14 bedrooms, seven reception rooms, four bathrooms, 12,758 square feet of living space, 8 acres of land, a wealth of history…and a resident ghost.

Derwydd Mansion, Wales, UK: $3.3 million

In addition to its phantom, the mansion has plenty more to recommend it to some lucky buyer with $3.3m going spare. Expertly preserved original details throughout the home include coffered plastered ceilings, Jacobean fireplaces, restored oak paneling, friezes, cornices, cartouches, heraldry, and a spectacular Tudor-style staircase all give the home a period elegance that takes you back through centuries of history.

Derwydd Mansion, Wales, UK: $3.3 million

The home has also retained its 17century interiors, which have been noted for their ‘exceptional quality and completeness and…19th century additions which reinterpret the architectural theme'. Indeed, according to the property’s listing, the estate is considered one of the largest and grandest in the county. And, like all great homes with rich histories, Derwydd is believed to have a ghost called ‘the white lady.’

Derwydd Mansion, Wales, UK: $3.3 million

The white lady, or Gwen Vaughan, as she is more formally known, is said to appear only to unmarried men, usually in the window of Sir Rhys' room (sadly the listing does not specify which bedroom this is). The estate first came into the possession of the Vaughan family in 1603, when Sir Henry Vaughan of nearby Golden Grove by marriage to Sage, granddaughter of Rhydderch, and stories about Gwen have been passed on through the family for generations.

Derwydd Mansion, Wales, UK: $3.3 million

The grand estate was supposedly once the property of Tudor knight Sir Rhys Thomas, who reportedly hosted Henry Tudor alongside 5,000 Welsh soldiers at the mansion as they traveled to Leicestershire in 1485 for the monumental battle with King Richard III that ended the War of the Roses and began the Tudor royal dynasty. Filled with antiques and vintage decor, you'll find 15 century architecture, though some additions were made in the 19 century. But will you find the ghost?

Earlshall Castle, Fife, UK: $10million

Set on 34 acres of land, Earlshall Castle in the Fife region of Scotland is an exceptional historic property. It’s believed to have taken its name from the site of a hunting lodge, which was once owned by the ancient Earls of Fife, relatives of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland. It's home to a rather noble ghost...

Earlshall Castle, Fife, UK: $10million

The fairytale castle is reportedly haunted by Sir William Bruce, or one of his descendants, Andrew Bruce. A phantom figure is frequently seen in the bedroom formerly used by Andrew Bruce and heavy footsteps are often heard on the staircase. However, that's not the only ghostly figure that's been seen floating about. 

Earlshall Castle, Fife, UK: $10million

There have also been sightings of a servant girl and another figure who patrols the spiral staircases at night. Constructed in 1546, the property would have needed the staff as it boasts 10 bedrooms, two dressing rooms and six bathrooms. This is one of the bedrooms, with stunning wooden beamed ceiling and large four-poster bed.

Earlshall Castle, Fife, UK: $10million

Despite its grim history, Earlshall Castle is undoubtedly one of the UK's most spectacular private homes. The 8,398-square-foot manor has no end of space for a large family to stretch out, including eight grand reception rooms, three cottages and even its own woodland and magnificent walled garden.

Earlshall Castle, Fife, UK: $10million

If you think you can handle the occasional ghost sighting, you could be the proud owner of one of the best-kept 16th-century houses in Scotland with its wooden beams, original fireplaces, timber wainscotting and dramatic topiary gardens included! Earlshall Castle is currently available with Savills at a spooky $10 million.

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